Abba Kidane-Mariam Ghebray

Former Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia Passes on Ethiopian Catholic Church regrets to announce the death of its former Secretary General Rev. Fr. Kidanemariam Gebray who passed away on 4th October 2014 and was laid to rest at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery on 9th October 2014.

Representatives of different religious leaders in Ethiopia, government officials, relatives of the late, clergy, religious and the faithful attended the funeral celebration. During the homily His Excellency Abune Tefasellassie, the Eparch of Adigrat remarked that Fr. Kidanemariam lived a model life of priest. He served the Catholic Church with great commitment and generosity.

The late Fr. Kidanemariam is highly credited for his great contribution in the response to the 1984-1985 great famine that took place in Ethiopia. “He successfully managed to bring together the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Catholic Church and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church’s and establish the Joint Relief Partnership (JRP) office to respond to the crisis of the time” said Bishop Timotios of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church who was also present at the funeral.Bishop Timotio added that, “At the time some of the drought affected areas in the Northern part of Ethiopia were under the TPLF which was a war zone, yet Fr. Kidanemariam went to the site, travelled to many countries to speak to the TPLF leaders and sign an agreement that would allow JRP to reach the affected people.”

Fr. Kidanemariam was born in Menekusoit; the first born son of his family and also one of the three priests among the siblings. At young age the late Rev. Fr. Kidanemariam had the call to be priest and was ordained a priest by the then Bishop of Asmara, H.E. Bishop Yacob in the Vatican. He then went to Britain to pursue further studies and acquired his degree in English and Educational Pedagogy from Cambridge University.

Upon Completion he returned to his country and served the Ethiopian Catholic Church in various capacities including the position of a Secretary General to the National Office of Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat, he was Representative of the Archbishop of Addis Ababa in the Archdiocese, and at the International level. He is also credited for his contribution to the growth of the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat, the establishment of the Catholic University in Ethiopia and above all his great love for the needy and respect for all people.